Firing director



- April 19, 1932. A. STEIN.LEI

FIRING DIRECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 21, 1929 Fig. 7 J0 venior:

April 19 1932. A. STEINLE V v FIRING DIRECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jn ven for:

Mm a m y d 3 0 1/ Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNETED STATES PATENT GFFEQE ADOLF STEINLE, OF J ENA, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM N. V. NEDERLANDSCHE INSTRUMENTEN COMPAGNIE, OF THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS FIRING DIRECTOR Application filed May 21, 1929, Serial No. 364,919, and in Germany May 26, 1928.

The invention concerns a firing director for shooting at moving targets, as e. g. aircraft or ships, and has for its object to provide for such firing director a device that in a simple manner allows to measure for an aim the setting forward angle that corresponds to the movement of the target, and the chart range of the point of impact, according to which two values a gun mounted at a certain distance from the firing director is to be laid.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the positions of firing director, gun and target; Figs. 2 to 7 give an example of the invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram, where, for better understanding,

7 some parts have been broken away. Figs. 3

to 6 are sections on the lines 33, 4-4, 55, and 66 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a diagram on reduced scale. As Fig. 1 of the drawings shows, the example is based on the simplest case, i. c. it refers to targets that are in one horizontal plane with the firing director and the gun.

In Fig. 1 A is the site of the firing director, B that of the gun and C the instantaneous position of a target moving horizontally in the direction CD with a speed 1) D is the locus of the target, which, after a time T, coincides with the point of impact of a projectile fired from the gun, whereby T is the time of flight of the projectile increased by a delay required for transmitting to the gun the aiming values and for making it ready to fire. The sighting values to be transmitted are the elevation of the gun barrel and the fuze setting that correspond to the chart range BD=l l of the point of impact, and the setting forward angle (1+ B, wherein a is the angle between the chart base line AB=8 and a line parallel to the line AC=E which corresponds to the horizontal projection of the aiming line from the firing director to the target, and B is the angle enclosed by the said parallel line and the line BD. The value of the angle on being givemin the case of the new device only ,8 and E are to be measured.

According to the invention, the new device is provided with a line and a point, displaceably disposed relatively to each other in a plane and which are adjustable relatively to each other and of which the first corresponds to the horizontal projection of the line from the observer to the target (hereinafter called the chart range), the second to the horizontal projection of the base line given by the different positions of the observer and the gun (hereinafter called the chart base line), and the third to the horizontal projection of the path of the target. The task is solved by displacing one of the marks relatively to the other in the said first direction by an amount corresponding to the chart range, in the said second direction by an amount corresponding to the chart base line and in the said third direction by an amount corresponding to the chart path of the target during the said time T, and by then suitably adjusting the line mark until it intersects the point mark, when the desired values can easily be read.

The adjustments are not necessarily to be made to suit the quadrangle ABDC (see Fig. l), as, for instance, also the adjustment to a quadrangle ACEF, in which CE is parallel and equal to AB, EF parallel and equal to CD, and AF parallel and equal to BD, will allow to find the values of B and E The different adjustments of the two marks relatively to each other can be effected by adjusting either the line mark alone, or the point mark alone, or both marks together.

The adjustments are conveniently regulated in such a way that the point mark is fixed on a mechanism similar to a double crank with arms of adjustable lengths, whereas the line mark, on one hand, is rotatably provided on an axis parallel to the turning axes of the two arms of the double crank, and, on the other hand, arranged in such a manner that it can be shifted in a direction corresponding to the shortest communication line between the turning axis of the line mark and the turning axis of the inside arm of the double crank.

The point mark is suitably represented by means of an illumination system and must appear either as light mark on dark ground or as dark mark on light ground, for which purpose a projection objective may be applied. I

For measuring the chart range of the point of impact, it is convenient to provide an appliance with which, for changing the position in which one mark covers the turning axis of the line mark (i. e. the zero position) into that in which it coincides with the point mark, the movement to be transmitted to one member is a 1neasure for tl 1e distance of the point mark, from ithe s'aid -turning axis. Such device enables this distance to be automatically transmitted to other parts of the firing :directorzfor the .purpose of ascerta ning the fuze setting. andthe elevation of the In,tl1e,examplegiven by liligures 2 to .7, a

likbe plaisou whisk, a o gitwo. guide rods a eel-ids r i m '-er an .Thlaba e sheare aih eiili mn @3 h hellqws a-ft" lturni g 1 t a s iXis amides-1. Th sha ea-shafi ser s glass epsnn ienla z t e axis frn s'tedrandprovided with one coil 1of,an Archimedeanj spiral v :6? whose pole is the turning axis v 1 Each. point ofzthe spiral bizcprrespgnds to acertain distance, viz, to

-.- hat-dista e wh ch i mpre sh by the respective radius vector. The distance {zero corresponds to the radius vector o f the length zero which belongs to a polar angle 5 0 (taken from the tangent in the pole of the spiral on the spiral itself),

whereas thelongest distance is represented by thahradius vector that belongs to the polar angle..-360. The distances which are represented by the radii vectors between, are proportional to the appertaining polar angles. In theihollow shaft 6 a shaft 0, which also turns round the axis XX, is rotatably provided. The said shaft 0 carries a transparent ruler which is next to the glass disc b andhas onits lower surface a", which faces the glass disc b ,,a longitudinal line a which intersects the turning axis XX. By means of a knob c the ruler 0 can be turned round the axis 'X-X. For such purpose a toothed wheel a? fast with the knob 0 engages in the teeth 0 of-a gear c which also is provided with a gear 0 meshing with a gear 0 on the shaft 1 0, ,The angle/3 by which the ruler c is turned out of its zero position, i. e. the position in which itslongitudinal line 0 is parallel to the moving direction of the slide 6, is indicated on augri duation .c --on the knob 0- by a pointer a of a bea1 ing an attached to the base plate a H I .er ler teh ve the ess dis oupled linreof tlielupper surface 631st to the ruler c in such a manner that it takes part of the turning of same round the axis XX, and also allows to be turned independently of the ruler so as to let it have that position which corresponds to the distance to beadjusted, the following arrangement is made; On the shaft0 -?,;to;which the gear 0 is secured, there is fixed a gear 0 which one of the two crown gears of a difl'erential .gean whoseaplanetwheel e Z .isionsa' sha'ft i1 xwith bent end. The'other crown gear is a gear 72 which is connected rotatably to a shaft 6 and r1g1dly to a gear I). This gear I) engages in gear?) secured to a shaft 12 which can be turned'by inea ns of a knob b 4 The morements of the shaft b which isbent on one end, vare transmitted by means oftwo gears 11 and 6 a shaft 1) and two conical gears 6 and b to the hollow shaft-b. The a'r rangement is such that acomplete rotation the knob L corresponds to a complete rotationof the glass disc b relatiively totheiilil l Such mutual adjustments ofrthe glass disc 12. and the ruler a further can he;

to a dis.an ce belonging tothe .polarangle' =300, i. e. a distance which amounts to 5/5 of the, longest; possible distance that can Joe adjusted. v

The aforesaid slide .6 carries a slide way-f (Fig. 4) which, can be turned round an axis Y-Y relatively to the slide 6. This axis Y and the turning axis XX of the ruller c are in a plane which is parallel to the moving direction of the slide 6. Along the slide way 7" there is movably arranged a slide 9 carrying a slide way h which can be turned relatively to the slide 9 round the axis ZZ. The turning axes Z Z and Y-Y are in a plane which is parallel to the moving direction of the slide 9- Along-the slide way h a slide 2' is movably arranged. This slide carries a projection system con? taining an incandescent lamp #9, a punctiform diaphragm aperture and a projection objective 7: whose axis U.U contains the diaphragm aperture 70 and is parallel:

to the turning axis ZZ. Here the arrangement is made in such a manner that the axes ZZ and U-U determine a plan which is parallel to the moving direction of the slide nd hat of the diaphragm. ap rtur 1 3 h rp imag of he form. of. a p.umasiform. ig rk M is projected o the ros ed-s r ace 1 wh ch isprovicletl with the spirak assay-v.1

and belongs to the glass plate I), in such a way that the said punctiform light mark is on the axis'UU of the objective The distance of the axisYY from the axis XX is indicated on the scale a of the one guide rod a by means of a pointer 6 The distance of the axes'Y-Yand Z Z from each other, is indicated on a scale 7 of the slide way i by the edge g of =the-slideg. The distance-of the axes UU and Z'Z from each other, is indicated on a scale 72, of the-slide way 71. by the edge 11 of theslide 2'. All three scales, a, f and M, 'are to be imagined'as numbered according to chart ranges or distances. The angle by which the slide way 7 has been turned relatively to the slide way a, is indicated by a pointer f of the slide way f on a scale 6 of the slide 6, and the angle by which the slide way it has been turned relatively to the slide way 7, by a pointer 72. of the slide way It on a graduation 9 of the slide g.

The operation of the device is as follows: The slides e, g andi are to be adjusted in such a way that the pointer 6 indicates on the scale a the chart range E of the target C (compare also Fig. 1) from the firing director A, that, further, the edge 9 of the slide 9 indicates on the scale f the length of the chart base line CE=s, which length is given by the different sites of firing director and gun, and

that, finally, the edge i of the slide 2' indicates on the scale k the chart path EF=o T of the target during the time of flight the projectile requires till the impact takes place,

increased by a certain time of delay. Here,

on one hand, by turning it round the axis Y-Y, the slide way 7 must be adjusted in i such a way that the pointer f indicates on the scale 0 the angle on which is enclosed by the said chart base line and the horizontal projection of the aiming line from firing director to target aim, and, on the other hand, by turning it round the axis ZZ, the slide way k must be adjusted in such a way that the pointer 71,2 indicates on the graduation 9 an angle ory, whereof y is the angle between the chart path of the target and the said horizontal projection of the aiming line. By turning the knob 0 the ruler 0 must be adjusted in such a way that its horizontal line 0 contains the punctiform light mark M which is projected on the glass disc 12 by the projection device 70 70 W, and, by turning the knob b, the glass disc 12 is given such a position that the spiral 6 also contains the said light mark. Then the pointer a will show on the graduation 0 the required angle ,8 and the pointer a on the scale I) the required chart range E of the point of impact. For further evaluation these two values are transmitted to other parts of the firing director (which are not shown on the drawings) by the shafts 0 and b respectively.

The chart range E of the target C from the' firing director the said path v T- of the target, and the'angleu, are submitted to continuous alterations, and, as a-consequence thereof, the respective parts requlre v to be continuously adjusted. "By constru'ctive measures, which are independent ofthe new device covered-by the invention, it easily can be attained that the readjustments' of the said parts as well-as of thosep'arts that require to be adjusted occasionally only (which latter are not shown in the drawings) are automatically transmitted by suitable c0u-' plings to the firing director and the gun. i I claim: 1. A firing director for shooting at mov ing targets, comprising a-base plate, a ruler disposed over the base plate and being rotatable round an axis normal to said plate, the said rulerbeing provided with a longitudinal line which intersects this axis, means for turning the ruleryan indicating device for indicating the position of the ruler relative to I the base 1 plate; a slide, a "slide way dis: posed on thisslide' and being'rotatablearound a second axis which is parallel to the said first axis, ais'rjecond indicating devicefor indicating the position of the slide way relative to the slide, the slide i beingdisposed on the base plate 'for displacement in' a direction paial lel tothe-plane determined by the said two -axes and'bein perpendicular to these axes, a

a third axis which is parallel to the two first'-.

mentioned axes, a' fourth indicatingdevice for indicating the position of this second slide wayrelative to the said second slide, the said second slidebeing disposed on the said first slide way and being displaceable in a direction which is parallel to the plane determined by the said third and second axes and being perpendicular to these axes, afifth indicating device for indicating the position of this second slide relative to the said first slide way, a third slide carrying a point mark, this third'slide being disposed on the said second slide way for displacement in a' direction which is parallel to the plane given by the point mark andthe saidthird axis and being perpendicular to' this third axis, and a sixth indicating device for indicating the position of this third slide relative to the said second slide way.

2. A firing director for shooting at moving targets, comprising a base plate, a frosted glass disc pivotally attached to the base plate, a ruler disposed on the base plate over and adjacent the disc and being rotatable around an axis, the said ruler being provided with a longitudinal line which intersects this axis, means for turning the ruler, an indicating de- Vice for indicating the position of the ruler relative to the base plate, a slide, a slide'way disposed on this slide and being rotatable roundnsecond axis which is parallelto the said first axis,,a second indicating device for indicating the position of the slide way relative. to the slide, the slide being disposed on the base plate for displacement in a direction parallel to the plane determined by the said two :axes and being perpendicular to these axes, a third indicating device for indicating the position of the slide relative to the base plate a second slide, a second slide way disposed .on this second slide and being rotatable rounda third axis which is parallel to the two first-mentioned axes, a fourth indicating device for indicating the position of this second slide way relative to the said second slide, the said second slide being disposed on the said first slide way and being displaceable ,in .a direction which is parallel to the plane determined by the said third and second axes and being perpendicular to these axes, a fifth indicating device for indicating the positionof this second slide relative to the Said first slide way, a third slide carrying a point mark and a device for projecting, this mark on the said glass disc, this third slide being disposed on the said second-slide way for displacement in a direction which isparaljlel to the plane given by the point mark and the said third-axis and being perpendicular to this third axis, and a sixth indicating device for indicating the position of this third slidelrelativeto the said second slide way.

3. A firing director for shooting at moving targets, comprising .a base plate, a frosted A the glass disc, an indicating device for indicating the position of the glass disc relative to the base plate, a ruler disposed on the base plate over and adjacent the disc and being rotatable round the turning axis of the glass disc, the said ruler being provided with a longitudinal line which intersects this axis, means for turning the ruler, a second indicating device for indicating the position of the ruler relative to the base plate, a slide, a

slide way disposed on this slide and being posed on the base plate for displacement in a direction parallel to the plane determined by the said two axes and being perpendicular to these axes, a fourth indicating device for indicatingthe position of the slide relative to v the base plate, a second slide, a second slide way-disposed on this second slide and being rotatable round a third axis which is parallel to the two first-mentioned axes, a fifth indicating device for indicating the position of -this.-second slide way relative to the said second slide; the said-second slide, being posed on'thesaid first slide way andjbeing displaceable ina direction which is parallel slide way. ADOLF- STEINLE. 1 

